Engine starting apparatus



Dec. 27, 1932. R. CHILTON A 1,892,096

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed April 26. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Q a a: M w 5? 3 r A 1 I k 7 AM w V J M 8 Wm Q (Q 1: 1 :r 1,1 v

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Dec. 27, 1932. CHlLTON 1,892,096

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed April 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 npentor Cttornegs Patented Dec. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RQLAND CHILTON, F KEYPORT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 ECLIPSE MACHINE COM- PANY, OF ELMIRA HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Application filed April 26, 1929. Serial No. 358,373.

This invention relates to engine starters and more particularly to a starter embodying a high speed inertia element of small size.

' It has heretofore been proposed to provide a self-contained starter of the type wherein the armature of an electric motor constitutes the inertia element or flywheel for storing up energy to be employed in cranking an engine. In starters of this .character it is desirable to provide means for moving the commutator brushes out of engagement with the commutator of the motor during the time that the armature is drivably connected with the engine to be cranked, in order that the brush load may not dissipate a portion of the energy stored in said armaturej Furthermore, if the'starter is of the type embodying manual means for rotating the armature or inertia member, it is desirable to maintain the brushes out of engagemerit with the commutator during the time that the inertia member is being acuated by said manual means in order to avoid the resistance to rotation resulting from the brush load.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel starter of the above character wherein manual or power means, or both, may be employed for storing energy in the inertia member.

Another object is to provide novel starting apparatus embodying an electric motor having an armature provided with a face commutator and with brushes which are disposed substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the armature, the apparatus being of small size and light weight.

A further object is to provide novel means for maintaining the brushes out of engage- 4 ment with the commutator during the time that said armature is drivably connected with a member of the engine to be cranked. The above and other objects will appear more fully hereinafter in the detail description. 4 One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, but it is to'be expressly understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a starter embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

F ig, 3 is an axial sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 44. of Fig. 3;

F ig. 5 is a view in elevation of certain cooperating parts shown severally in Figs. 1 and 3.

The starter constituting the subject matter of the present invention embodies a sectional housing 6 adapted to be secured in any suitable manner to the crankcase of an engine, a portion of the latter being illustrated at 7. Rotatably mounted within housin 6, as by means of a ball bearing 8 (Fig. 3% is a gear 9 provided with a laterally projecting hub portion 10 which is interiorly splined to receive a longitudinally movable engine engaging clutch jaw 11. A rotating part of the engine such as the crankshaft or an extension thereof, carries a similar clutch jaw 12 adapted to be drivably engaged by member 11. Laterally spaced from but disposed substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of gear 9 is a lay shaft 13 which is rotatably mounted in any suitable manner in housing 6, and which carries a pinion 14 that meshes with gear 9. Yielding clutch means of any suitable type, for example such as is disclosed in my Patent No. 1,632,539, dated June 14, 1927, is provided for drivably connectlng the right hand end of the lay shaft, as viewed in Fig. 3, with a spur gear 15 which meshes with a pinion 16 formed on a longitudinally extending shaft 17 that is preferably disposed substantially coaxially with res ect to clutch jaw 11. The inner end of s aft 17 is rotatably mounted within gear 9 by means of a ball bearing 18, while the intermediate portion of said shaft is rotatably mounted in the end wall of housing 6 by means of a suitable bearing 19.

An electric motor having a casing 20 is removably secured to the outer face of housing 6 as by means of screws 21 and the shaft 17 has drivably connected thereto the armature 22 of said motor. It will be noted that the armature is of laminated construction and of relatively great radius, said armature constituting the inertia element or flywheel of the starter. The motor field structure, which is of such a diameter as to be mounted within an annular space formed by the overhanging rim of the armature and which includes a frame 23 and field windings 24, is suitably secured to the end wall 25 of the motor casing.

Starters of the above character are particularly adapted for use on aeroplane engines where small size and light weight are of importance. The present structure is so constituted as to embody both of these features to an unusual degree and to this end the armature carries a face commutator 26.

The field 23 is of annular form and has an inner diameter which is substantially equal to that of the commutator 26. 'Ihe latter is positioned intermediate the inner face of the field structure and the inner or left hand face of the armature 22, as vlewed in Fig. 2. A plurality of brushes 27 which are disposed substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the armature engage the outer face of the commutator and are slidably mounted within tubes 28, which proJect 1nwardly from the end wall 25 of the motor casing. Brushes 27 are suitably insulated from said tubes and are carried by rods 29 which projectexteriorly of end wall 20, said rods being disposed centrally within tubes 28. Surrounding each rod 29 is a COll sprlng 30 which abuts at its inner end against the brush and at its outer end against a stop 31 of insulating material which may be threaded into the outer end of the tube 28. Springs 30 thus tend to hold the brush in engagement with commutator 26.

Means are provided for normally holding the brushes out of engagement with the commutator, said means being controlled by mechanism that is preferably adapted for manual actuation whereby the brushes may be moved into engagement with the commutator. In the form shown the outer ends of rods 29 carry a pair of rings 32 and 32" adapted to be engaged by a disk 33 carried in any suitable manner on the end of the lever 34. Outer ring 32 is preferably formed as two metallic half rings separated by insulating segments 32 which may, if desired, be made integral with and project outwardly from inner ring 32, the latter being formed of any suitable insulating material. As illustrated, four brushes 27 are employed and the disk 33 is of such a diameter as to be readily positioned between the rods 29 attached to said brushes.

Lever 34 is pivotally and rotatably mounted in a fulcrum member 35 (Fig. 2) carried by the end wall 25 of the motor casing. Secured t0 the outer end of lever 34 is a transversely extending head 36 which has pivotally connected to the upper end thereof a manually operable control rod 37, the lower endofthe head being secured to lever 34. A rod or link 38 is pivoted to head 36 intermediate rod 37 and lever 34, and the, inner end of said link is pivotally connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 39 that is secured to the outer end of a rock shaft 40 which extends through the casing 6. The inner end of said rock shaft may be provided with any suitable means for shifting clutch jaw 11 into engagement with engine jaw 12, such as a pin (Fig. 5) which extends into an annular groove 41 (Fig. 3) formed in a sleeve 42 which is secured to clutch jaw 11, a well-known construction similar to that shown in my Patent No. 1,691,625, dated November 13, 1928. The free arm of bell crank lever 39 has en agement with a spring-pressed pawl 43 whic is pivoted to the casing as at 44, and tends to maintain lever 39 in either of its extreme operative positions. Pawl 43 also imparts a rapid, snap action to lever 39 and the remainder of the engaging mechanism when clutch jaw 11 is shifted into engagement with the engine 12 thereby. Flexible electrical connections 45 (Fig. 2) are provided for the brushes 27 in order to permit movement of said brushes into and out of engagement with the commutator.

Means are provided for manually storing energy in the flywheel-armature 22. For this purpose gear member 9 is provided with a evel gear 46 which meshes with a bevel ear 47 carried by the inner end of a cran ing shaft 48 that is rotatably mounted in housing 6. The outer end of shaft 48 projects exteriorly of the housing and is adapted to receive a suitable cranking means such as the hand crank 49 (Fig. 3). l

A spring 36" which is anchored at one end to the casing and attached at its opposite end to the lower portion of head 36 normally holds lever 34 in a position such that brushes 27 are maintained out ofengagement with the commutator. Rod 38 normally resists rotation of lever 34 under the action of spring 36" so that the lever is swung about the fulcrum member 35, and rods 29 and brushes 27 are held in outward position against the ten sion of springs 30.

Normally the starter parts occupy the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3, with the elements 11 and 12 of the jaw clutch disengaged and with the brushes out of engagement with the commutator 26. When it is desired to crank the engine, the operator moves rod 37 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, and since rod 38 cannot move further to the left, due'to starter jaw 11 being 'fully withdrawn and abutting the inner face of shaft 17 and bearing 18, it constitutes a fulcrum member for head 36, and accordingly the head and lever 34 are moved against the tension of spring 36, whereby springs 30 are effective to move brushes 27 into engagement with the commutator. An additional switch may be provided for closing the circuit to the motor after the brushes are moved into engagement with the commutator, but preferably the brushes and commutator constitute the switch elements. The armature is now rotated at very high 0 speed, i. e., approximately 13,000 R. P. M.,

whereupon the operator pulls rod 37 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, and thereby imparts a combined rotary and pivotal movement to lever 34, whereby brushes 27 are moved out of engagement with the. commutator, and bell crank lever 39 is swung in a clockwise direction to move jaw 11 into driving engagement with jaw 12. The energy stored in the rapidly rotating armature is now efi'ective through the reduction gearing, the disk clutch, and the jaw 11 to crank the engine, and no portion of this energy is dissipated by frictional engagement of the brushes with the commutator.

When the engine starts under its own power, the overrunning action of jaw 12 is effective to move member 11 to the right to normal position, and simultaneously bell crank lever 39 and rod 38 are returned in normal position. .The brushes are held out of engagement with the commutator when the parts are in this position and do not impose a load on the armature, in the event it is desired to rotate the latter by hand through the cranking shaft 48.

It will thus be perceived that there is provided an inertia starter adapted for manual or power operation or both, which is so constructed that the armature of the motor constitutes the inertia member or flywheel. The device is extremely compact, due to the unusual arrangement of the armature, field structure and brushes, which feature is of considerable importance in connection with starters for aeroplane engines. While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the drawings and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that various changes may be made in the reduction gearing for drivably connecting the inertia member and engine engaging member and in the brush lifting mechanism, for example, withoutdeparting from the invention defined in the following claims.

WVhat is claimed is:

1. In engine starting mechanism of the self-contained type adapted to be installedon andremoved from an engine as a unit. an engine engaging member. a motor having an armature constituting an inertia member, means for drivably connecting said armature and engine engaging member. a face commutatorfor said armature, brushes hav ing engagement with the commutator and disposed substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said armature, and common means for moving the brushes from the commutator and moving the engine engaging member into engine-engaging position.

2. In engine starting mechanism of the class described, an engine engaging member. a motor having an armature constituting an inertia member and provided with a face commutator, means for drivably connecting said armature and engine engaging member. a motor field structure mounted within said armature, brushes within said field and having engagement with said commutator, and means for moving said brushes out of engagement with the commutator and for moving said engine engaging member into ongine-engaging position.

3. In engine starting apparatus of the selfcontained type adapted to be installed on and removed from the engine as a unit, means adapted for driving engagement with the engine to be started. and means for actuating said first named means including a motor having an armature. said armature constituting an inertia member. a field structure for the motor mounted within said armature, a commutator for said armature, a plurality of brushes mounted within said field structure and having engagement with said commutator, and common means for moving said brushes out of engagement with said commutator and for moving said first named means into driving engagement with the engine, said last named means including a lever adapted for rotary and pivotal movement.

4. In engine starting apparatus of the class described, a motor, the armature of the motor constituting an inertia element, a face commutator for said, motor, a field stationarily mounted within the armature, brushes disposed concentrically with respect to said field and having engagement with said commutator, resilient means for maintaining said brushes in engagement with said commutator, and means for, moving said brushes out of engagement with said commutator, including a lever adapted for rotary and pivotal movement, a push rod connected to said lever, and means for yieldingly maintaining said rod in a predetermined position wherebv said brushes are held out of engagement with the commutator.

5. In engine starting apparatus of the self contained type adapted to be installed on the engine as a unit. an electric motor having an armature constituting an inertia member, manually operable means for rotating said armature to store energy therein. a face commutator carried by the armature, a field structure therefor, brushes disposed substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the armature. and means for moving said brushes in a rectilinear path out of engagement with said commutator to remove the brush load and thereby facilitate actuation of said manual means.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a motor including an armature, an annular field structure disposed concentrically of sald armature and positioned therewithin, a face commutator for said armature, brushes positioned within the annular portion of the field structure and having engagement with said commutator, yielding means for normally maintaining said brushes in engagement wlth said commutator, and means for moving said brushes in rectilinear paths out of engagement with the commutator.

7. In starting apparatus of the type embodying an electric motor, a rotatable armature for the motor, a face commutator carried by said armature, brushes for said commutator, and means for moving said brushes out of engagement with the commutator including a disk adapted to be moved into operative engagement with said brushes, a lever operatively connected to said disk, and means for imparting a combined pivotal and rotary movement to said lever.

8. In engine starting apparatus of the type embodying an electric motor adapted to drive an engine engaging member, commutator brushes for said motor, and common means for moving said brushes to inoperative position and for simultaneously moving said engine engaging member into engine engaging position, said means including a lever and means for impartin to said lever a combined rotary and pivota movement about intersecting axes and the said lever being operatively connected to said brushes and engine engaging member.

9. In apparatus of the class described, a longitudinally movable engine engaging member, a flywheel constitutin the armature of a motor disposed substantially coaxially with respect to said engine engaging member, means including reduction gearing for drivably connecting said armature and engine engaging member, a face commutator for said armature, a plurality of brushes adapted to engage said commutator, said brushes being disposed substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the engine engaging member and armature, and common means for moving said brushes out of engagement with the commutator and for moving said engine engaging member to engine engaging position.

10. In engine starting apparatus of the self-contained type adapted to be installed on the engine as a unit, an engine engaging member, and means for actuating the same including a motor having an armature, a face commutator for said armature, an annular field structure positioned within said armature, brushes engaging said commutator, and means for moving said brushes out of engagement with said commutator and for simultaneously moving said en ine engaging member into engagement wit a member of the engine to be started.

11. In engine starting apparatus of the type embodying an electric motor adapted to drive an engine-engaging member, commutator brushes for said motor, and common' means for moving said brushes to inoperative position and for simultaneously moving said engine-engaging member into engine-engaging position, said means includm alever movable about its transverse and ongitudinal axes, and means for imparting movement to said lever about both said axes.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing having an inwardly extending hub, a rotatable shaft within said casing, said shaft being connected with a member to be driven, a relatively light disc mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, a relatively heavy armature comprisin laminations of annular formation moun circumferentially of said disc, a commutator secured to said shaft, brushes for said commutator, means extending through said hub to actuate said brushes into and out of contact with the commutator, conductors connecting said armature with the commutator, and means to electrically cause the rotation of said armature to high speeds to impart a high momentum to said shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

ROLAND CHILTON. 

